Have you ever seen boos? They are the playful creatures you think you see under your bed at night. Some look like orange zebras, others like flying snails. They can tease or make you sneeze! They can even make chocolates appear in empty pockets!

Puzzle the boo looked a bit like an elephant, only he was purple most of the time and the size of a mouse. Meera stumbled upon him one morning by accident. There he was, sniffing and moaning, his backside firmly wedged inside her shoe. “I must be dreaming,” she thought. She poked him to see what would happen. “Ouch!” howled Puzzle. “Oh! I’m very sorry,” she apologised. “I’m stuck!” he bawled. In fact, he had been stuck there all night and had given up hope of ever getting free. Meera examined him closely. “Let me see if I can help,” she said, pulling him by the legs.

She pushed him from behind. She even banged the shoe on the floor. “I could put you in soapy water,” she suggested. No, Puzzle was scared of bubbles. “What if I poured oil on you?” she asked. Puzzle began to squeak and sob. He certainly didn’t want oil poured on him! “I know how to stop you from crying!” Meera shouted merrily. She started to tickle Puzzle.

Boos are very ticklish, and soon he was squirming and giggling. The more Meera tickled him, the more he squirmed until suddenly... “Look! You’re unstuck!” cried Meera excitedly, clapping her hands. Puzzle blinked. He wiggled his legs. He wiggled his tail. Then he wiggled his whole self, just to make sure. “Yay! I’m free!” he trumpeted as he bounced around the room.

He bounced onto her hand and smiled, “What would you like before I go? Chocolates? Shall I make your school disappear?” “Do you have to go?” asked Meera sadly. “I wish you could stay. We could be friends!” “Boos don’t have human friends… But that’s a great idea!” he squeaked, “Just say ‘Puzzle the boo, I want to see you’ and I’ll come!” “Promise?” she asked. “I promise!” winked Puzzle. The school bus honked loudly. “Okay, we’ll play after school. See you later!” she said as she rushed outside.

After school, Meera went to the garden, shut her eyes and murmured the magic words. There was a humming sound and Puzzle appeared in a flash! They laughed and played until sunset. And from that day on, Meera and Puzzle became best friends.